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Human Trafficking Ring (Season Ten)
|appearance = "X" |last = "The Hunt" }} The Human Trafficking Ring (so named by this wikia, unnamed in reality) appeared in Season Ten on Criminal Minds. Background Nothing is currently known about the ring, other than it was founded by Alex Zorgen sometime in or before 2008. Its central membership comprised of him, one of his first captives Donna Mangold, and their son Kyle Zorgen. It targeted women and occasionally men, whom they would abduct and sell them to clients who would then kill them. At least some of these clients were fellow serial killers. The ring's headquarters was at Oakton, Virginia, although they targeted people in many states in the U.S. Season Ten X The ring is seen at the end of the episode, in which Alex, Donna, and Kyle abduct a woman who is out jogging in the southwestern portion of the U.S. The scene then cuts to a brief montage of clients browsing through the ring's website in search of a potential victim to purchase. One of these clients comes across the woman who was previously abducted, who is up for sale. It is known that they provided serial killer Steven Parkett his third victim and a would-be victim who escaped after being tortured by him and was rescued by the BAU. The Hunt The ring reappears in the episode, in which Donna and Kyle abduct Meg Callahan and Markayla Davis after months of trying to lure them out. Alex had previously set his sights on them after Meg's aunt Kate began closing in on them; she had been surveying missing persons reports concerning the ring's victims. They take them to Alex's house and hold them captive in the basement. Later, they take them to the woods to meet Alex. There, Alex takes a look at them before Markayla is able to escape. Alex and Kyle pursue her, only to lose sight of her, causing Alex to kill Kyle in a fit of rage. Later on, Alex alters Meg's appearance and sells her to Colin Dupley. Afterwards, he and Donna are arrested by the BAU, and after JJ appeals to Donna, she reveals Meg's location. Meg is rescued shortly afterward, with Dupley being shot and killed. Modus Operandi In their known appearances, Alex, Donna, and Kyle targeted women and sometimes men living all over the U.S., whom they abducted. It is known they would lure a victim with a ruse before subduing and abducting them. Afterwards, they would take them to Alex's house in Oakton, Virginia, where their appearances would be altered (as a forensic countermeasure) and photos would be taken of them. These photos would be uploaded onto their website and used in online auctions. The auctions would also show information on them such as their gender, age, race, etc., presumably because the ring's clients were preferential and had fantasies that required a specific type of victim. The victims would be sold to clients, mostly serial killers who would then kill them and either make their deaths appear sudden or accidental, or dispose of their bodies or body parts in ways in which they would never be found or identifiable. Profile The unsubs are a ring of sophisticated human traffickers. Their operation is mobile, which is why it has gone undetected for so long. The group consists of a broker who leads the ring, a male accomplice, and a female accomplice. This trio finds potential victims and tailors their abduction plans according to each of the victims' vulnerabilities. Their victims are sold, most likely online to buyers who have been vetted by their team. A male accomplice was shot dead by the broker, suggesting infighting and tension, which could give authorities an opening in catching the ring. The broker is a master manipulator who has put on an innocent facade, while his female accomplice is possibly a compliant victim, who developed Stockholm syndrome after years in captivity. The group's sophistication level suggests they are experienced, so it is expected of them to employ forensic countermeasures to hide and change the appearance of the victims before the broker sells them off. The ring is abducting and selling their victims not to be sex slaves, but to be victims of serial killers. Their operation is quite simple; the killers buying the ring's victims get to live out their fantasies, and in exchange for supplying the victims, the broker makes them agree to a disposal method, so he and his team are insulated from any investigation. Just like in Steven Parkett's murders, the behavior and forensics of the murders will only lead authorities to the customer who actually did the killing, not the broker. The broker is also smart enough to protect his network by encrypting all communication with his customers. Known Members *Leader: Alex Zorgen . Portrayed by Brian Howe. *Lieutenant: Donna Mangold . Portrayed by Melora Walters. *Follower: Kyle Zorgen . Portrayed by Brent Chase. Alex Zorgen.jpg|Alex Zorgen|link=Alex Zorgen Donna Mangold.jpg|Donna Mangold|link=Donna Mangold Kyle Zorgen.jpg|Kyle Zorgen BeachBod24|link=Kyle Zorgen Known Clients *Steven Parkett, a.k.a. "The Mad Butcher of Bakersfield" . Portrayed by Eric Frentzel. *Colin Dupley . Portrayed by Kevin Fry-Bowers. *Miles Hendrick . Portrayed by Chris Degner. *Michael Rigby *Kevin Hawkins *ANON247 *LORDSHIP898 *Numerous unnamed clients all over the U.S. All portrayed by uncredited actors. Steven Parkett.jpg|Steven Parkett The Mad Butcher of Bakersfield|link=Steven Parkett Colin Dupley.jpg|Colin Dupley|link=Colin Dupley Miles Hendrick.jpg|Miles Hendrick|link=Miles Hendrick Known Victims ***April 3: P. Perkins ***May 11: B. Hatchett ***July 20: M. Kuljuis ***August 12: J. Geary ***August 19: S. Marshall ***August 25: M. Aubery ***November 8: J. Whit ***November 9: R. Buffonlino ***November 14: J. Van Over **2009: ***February 3: L. Gaffney ***February 7: O. Ly ***May 3: K. Ksarris ***June 27: D. Barfield ***July 20: J. Ryan ***October 1: R. La Porte ***October 14: K. Veo **2010: ***February 9: R. Henson ***April 17: T. Joy ***June 22: H. Alexander ***July 5: J. Lee ***July 10: M. Bruner ***July 19: P. Phung ***August 1: R. Thompson ***September 17: H. Tarrizzo ***October 17: V. Harrison ***October 18: J. Marie **2011: ***January 11: D. Davidson ***January 20: N. Dudzak ***February 28: R. Schueuerman ***June 8: ****T. Hill ****A. Seeger ***June 9: F. Levy ***July 18: G. Datton ***December 15: R. Rosett ***December 27: G. Sack **2012: ***April 24: D. Dreyer ***June 3: V. Jeffereds ***July 30: H. Alridge ***November 16: R. Luchow **2013: ***January 23: J. Beattle ***March 7: V. Ruskin ***April 27: T. Baseman ***June 9: C. Pittman ***November 9: D. Jewell **2014: ***April 13: R. Young ***May 6: J. Yarner ***June 20: D. Johnson ***July 8: T. Briggs ***November 16: I. Woolf *Unspecified dates: **Modesto, California: Eileen Banks **Oakton, Virginia: Three unnamed women **Unspecified locations: Two unnamed women *2014: **Late September: ***Riverside, California: Kim Eakle ***San Diego, California: Angie Stanton **October 2, southwestern U.S.: Unnamed woman *May 1, 2015, Washington, D.C.: Meg Callahan and Markayla Davis : **Meg Callahan **Markayla Davis }} Notes *The ring is the second human trafficking ring to appear in the show's history. The first one appeared in the Season Six finale episode "Supply and Demand". *The ring is the second of two unsubs in the show's history who were seen active for several episodes before the BAU investigate his case; he committed crimes in three episodes that go unnoticed. The first unsub is John Curtis, who also committed crimes in three episodes that go unnoticed until "Perennials". *In "Hashtag", it is possible that there was some foreshadowing relating to Kyle being offered: during a meeting between the BAU members concerning a case involving social media, Kate remarks that she does all she can to have Meg avoid the sites and posting her personal information online. Appearances *Season Ten **"X" **"The Hunt" Category:Criminal Minds Characters Category:Criminal Organizations Category:Season Ten Criminals Category:Abductors Category:Human Traffickers Category:Criminals Category:Recurring Characters Category:Captors